Gov. Scott: Naples-Marco Island Metro Area Adds 6,000 New Jobs

Today, Governor Rick Scott announced the Naples-Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) experienced positive annual job growth with an increase of 6,000 jobs over the year. The MSA’s unemployment rate declined by 1.4 percentage points over the year, from 6.3 percent in April 2013 to 4.9 percent in April 2014.

Governor Scott said, “With 6,000 new jobs and a continued decrease in the unemployment rate, down to 4.9 percent, the Naples area is heading in the right direction. While we’re thrilled to see our pro-growth, business friendly policies working, let’s keep working until every person who wants a job is able to find one.”

The industries gaining the most jobs in this metro area over the year in April 2014 were in construction with 1,500 new jobs and both leisure and hospitality and trade, transportation, and utilities with 1,400 new jobs each. In April 2014, the Naples-Marco Island MSA had the fastest annual job growth rate compared to all the metro areas in the state in total employment, with growth of 4.8 percent over the year. The metro area also had the fastest job growth rate in manufacturing and trade, transportation, and utilities.

The Naples-Marco Island MSA had 4,827 online job openings in April 2014, growing by 19.0 percent over the year. The area also had 503 openings for STEM occupations. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and these jobs are considered high wage and high skill. Additionally, housing starts were up 19.7 percent over the month and 7.0 percent over the year in March 2014.

In April, CareerSource Southwest Florida, along with the state’s other 23 Regional Workforce Boards, reported more than 42,506 Floridians were placed in jobs. An individual who receives employment and training assistance through a One-Stop Career Center and finds a job within 180 days is deemed a placement and may be reported by a regional workforce board. Of these individuals, 8,851 previously received Reemployment Assistance. In 2013, more than 479,064 Floridians were placed in jobs, with 135,384 former claimants finding employment.

Florida’s statewide unemployment rate for April 2014 was 6.2 percent and the state’s labor force again increased over the month and over the year for the fourth month in a row. Florida’s statewide unemployment rate has been below the national unemployment rate since August 2013, which was 6.3 percent in April 2014. Since December 2010, Florida has created 600,400 private sector jobs.